IND vs AFG Test: Manav Suthar becomes 319th player to debut for India
Manav is the first specialist spinner to make his India debut in red-ball cricket since Axar Patel in 2021
India and Afghanistan are facing each other in the one-off Test at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, with both teams looking to adapt to major transitions in their playing combinations.
However, the day is even more special for Rajasthan-based spinner Manav Suthar, who received his maiden Test cap ahead of the match from Kuldeep Yadav, making him the 319th Indian player to make his Test debut for India.
Manav is also the first specialist spinner to make his India debut in red-ball cricket since Axar Patel in 2021.
Manav rewarded for consistency
One of the biggest reasons behind Manav getting his debut cap before the Afghanistan Test is his consistency at the domestic level. The spinner took 18 wickets in just three matches in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season and 13 wickets in 10 matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26.
While Manav’s numbers in IPL 2026 were sub-par on paper, his capability to turn the ball on flat pitches makes him a big asset for the Indian Test side.
Manav Suthar’s career stats so far
| Format | Mat | Inns | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | 4W | 5W | 10W |
| First-Class | 29 | 52 | 129 | 8/33 | 11/62 | 25.76 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| List A | 25 | 25 | 34 | 3/32 | 3/32 | 29.73 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T20 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 3/21 | 3/21 | 24.56 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Overall | 83 | 105 | 188 | 8/33 | 11/62 | 26.32 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
Afghanistan also hands debut cap to a spinner
Along with the hosts India, the visitors Afghanistan also handed a debut cap to spinner Nangeyalia Kharote for the Mullanpur Test. The 22-year-old Kharote made his international debut in an ODI against Ireland on March 12, 2024, before earning his maiden T20I cap against the same opposition three days later on March 15.
His rapid rise continued when he was selected in Afghanistan's squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup just two months after making his international debut.
So far, he has played 10 ODIs and seven T20Is for Afghanistan and has taken 13 and seven wickets respectively in each format.
Gill wins the toss for India
In the meantime, Indian skipper Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bat first against Afghanistan in the one-off Test in Mullanpur. With Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar playing as the three spinners for the hosts, this marks the first Test for India since November 2010 in which they will not have either Ravichandran Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja.
India vs Afghanistan one-off Test playing 11:
India Playing 11: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (w), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Afghanistan Playing 11: Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Afsar Zazai (w), Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Nangeyalia Kharote, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi, Mohammad Saleem Safi